NASCAR returns, Harvick wins at Darlington /B1 STOP WASTING MONDAY MONEY ON TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning SPECTRUM/ HIGH BRIGHTHOUSE 88 Increasing clouds, CALL 000YFVE LOW scattered show- ers and storms. 1-888-851-7283 PAGE A4 SEE PAGE A7 70 www.chronicleonline.com MAY 18, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 125 ISSUE 223 NEWS BRIEFS Inverness makes room for new hotel 72-room hotel at the site to serve soil sampling and other ground Citrus COVID-19 Demolition underway near downtown downtown visitors, residents inspection work that is necessary information working at nearby Citrus Memo- before construction can be begin. FRED HIERS the former Baptist church that rial Hospital, and visitors who That information, along with Two new positive Staff writer called the location home for have family members who are pa- ground building plans, will be COVID-19 cases were re- decades. tients at the hospital. sent to the Inverness building de- ported in Citrus County Construction of Inverness’ first The property is now owned by Desai told the Chronicle that partment for approval. Once ap- since the latest FDOH downtown hotel is slated to begin Dr. Paresh Desai, a local urologist, the current demolition and proved, construction can begin update. One new death in two months as heavy equip- hotelier, and restaurateur, who cleanup would take another two later, Desai said. was reported. To date in ment does away with the last of plans to build a three-story, weeks. That’s to be followed by See HOTEL/Page A8 the county, 112 people have tested positive and 12 have died. For more information, see Sunday’s edition. Big Cat Rescue Cars line up for testing now sells masks CITRUS PARK — Are you a cool cat or kitten? There’s now a coronavirus mask out there for you. The Tampa Bay Times reports that Big Cat Res- cue founder Carole Baskin, prominently fea- tured in Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, started selling face masks with her oft-quoted catch- phrase Saturday. The dual-layered tie masks feature the words “Hey all you cool cats and kittens” above a whis- kered feline smile. View- ers of the popular docu-series know that’s Baskin’s catchphrase. Masks cost $11 each and come in black or leop- ard print. The masks are being sold to raise money to help big cats. Portions of the proceeds also sup- port first-responders. Big Cat Rescue is closed to the public due to the outbreak. A post on MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle bigcatrescue.com said Nature Coast EMS Chief of Operation/paramedic Ron Bray swabs the back of the throat of an individual Sunday morning outside of the Holiday the animal rescue is los- Inn Express in Inverness. Doug Alexander, pastor of The New Church Without Walls, sponsored a free drive-thru testing program for church ing $160,000 a month in members and others in the community with the assistance of the Citrus County Department of Health and Nature Coast EMS and the Holiday tour revenue. Inn Express. One-hundred fifty tests were available. Big Cat Rescue and its founder have been the subject of much attention Local groups host drive-thru COVID-19 testing since being featured on M B TV in Tiger King. The viral ATTHEW ECK population in the county,” Rubio said. “As Chief photographer you know, Pastor Doug can really reach out series stars gun-toting to that minority group.” Oklahoma zookeeper Dozens of motorists on Sunday pulled Pastor Alexander said more testing op- Joseph Maldonado- through the front of the Holiday Inn Ex- portunities are in the works for the west Passage, aka Joe Exotic. press in Inverness to be tested for COVID- side of the county. “We’re going to partner He was sentenced to 19. The testing was organized by Pastor with the Department of Health and get over 22 years in prison after kill- Doug Alexander from The New Church to Copeland Park.” ing five tigers and plotting Without Walls in partnership with Nature “That’ll be our next step we’re going to to have Baskin murdered. Coast EMS and the Citrus County Depart- do,” Rubio added. “But it is all predicated — From staff and wire reports ment of Health. on the ability for us to have testing sup- Citrus County DOH director Tito Rubio plies, which has been one of our biggest POLL said he received a call from Pastor Alexan- hold backs.” der asking for assistance getting his congre- See TESTING/Page A6 ONLINE POLL: gation tested. “Buddy, we’ll be happy to help,” Rubio said as cars lined up for for Once a swab has been used to test a patient Your choice? testing. it is secured in a vial and will be sent to a Are you encouraged by Nationally, the pandemic has hit mi- commercial lab. Results will be available in the news that human nority populations especially hard. seven to 10 days according to Tito Rubio, testing has begun in the “We haven’t tested a lot of our minority Citrus County Health Department director. first set of trials for an experimental coronavirus vaccine? A. Yes. It is the first bit of good news I have seen. Citrus Summer Soirée to take place of prom B. No. It is still going to proms traditionally are, we want they may be at the time,” Bryant take a year for it to be Event open to all graduating seniorsto host a formal black tie event — said. “We estimate 500 or so stu- tested and approved for a red carpet, hors d’oeuvres, a sit- dents over the two days. To keep use. NANCY KENNEDY lost many of the events they had down dinner and music,” he said. the groups smaller, we will be C. Don’t like these Staff writer looked forward to this year, in- “It will be more upscale than a hosting four different events over choices? Click on the cluding their senior proms,” Bry- prom and will provide them with the two days. This will allow us to question and add your CJ Bryant has an idea. ant said. an amazing night with their keep everyone spread out and in comment. As a past Citrus High School His idea is to throw the Citrus friends. smaller groups.” To vote, visit www. graduate and now a local photog- County class of 2020 a prom-like Citrus Summer Soirée is Bryant emphasized that this is a chronicleonline.com. rapher who takes photos of high event in July to help celebrate the planned for July 24 and 25 at private event and not associated Scroll down the home school students — prom photos, students’ accomplishments and Black Diamond Country Club in with the local school system, but it senior photos — he knows how enjoy a first-class evening with Lecanto. is open to all Citrus County se- page and look for the important milestone events are in their friends. “We have plans in place for a niors (and juniors if there is poll box in the right- the lives of teens. “Rather than hosting a simple safe evening that follows the CDC space). hand column. “As you know, the class of 2020 dance event, which is what their and state guidelines, whatever See SOIRÉE/Page A6 Results will appear next Monday. Find last week’s online poll results./Page A3 Graduates: Learn to apply for scholarships, file appeals INDEX schooling, a job or the military. Classifieds ............... B4 FAFSA application deadline June 30 “Our goal is to get every kid to ON THE NET Comics .................... B3 fill out the FAFSA, regardless of n For more about the Free Crossword ................ B6 BUSTER THOMPSON Families apply for what income,” Simon added. “You just Application for Federal Editorial ..................A12 Staff writer scholastic-aid programs they can, don’t know what happens.” Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Entertainment ...........A4 especially through the Free Appli- June 30 is the deadline to apply Federal Pell Grant, visit Horoscope ................A4 COVID-19 has affected school cation for Federal Student Aid using the FAFSA, Simon said. studentaid.gov. Lottery Numbers ...... B1 systems worldwide in many ways, (FAFSA). Federal Student Aid (FSA) of- n For more about SwiftStudent, Lottery Payouts ........ B1 including if students will have “It can be complicated for some fers Pell Grants to undergradu- a free online tool to help Obituaries .............None enough financial aid to pay for a kids, it really can be,” said Patrick ates struggling with finances, appeal financial aid requests, TV Listings ............... B2 higher education. Simon, president and founder of awarding students based off their visit formswift.com/swift- Scholarships and grants from the Citrus County Coalition for familial income, household and student. governments, schools and com- College and Careers, which pro- plans in college. n munity organizations do a lot to vides local high schoolers with Eligible students can get up to For more on local scholarship help fund someone’s dream to fur- assistance and scholarships $6,345 awards to help pay for the opportunities, visit tinyurl. com/y9xz6qu7. ther their studies. during their transition to more See APPLY/Page A6 A2 MONDAY, MAY 18, 2020 CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE AAsk Asskk uususs aaboutabboouutt oourouurr VVETERANS VEETTEERRAANNSS DISCOUNTD DIISSCCOOUUNNTT BETTER HEARING the perfect stimulus investment We are meeting all CDC guidelines & your safe visit is of great importance ATTENTION: FREE HEARING AIDS All Federal Workers & Retirees: The New York Empire State Insurance Plan YYou Yoouu PPayPaayy pays for the total cost of 2 Rexton Digital $$ The Federal Employee Hearing Program pays the total Aids.